What is an Official Injury Claim?
As a personal injury law firm, we believe that while the Official Injury Claim service may offer a simpler process for low-value road traffic accident claims, it may not be suitable for more complex cases. Our experience has shown that cases involving disputed liability, multiple parties, or serious injuries often require the expertise of a personal injury solicitor to ensure that the claimant receives fair compensation. By hiring a solicitor, the claimant can have peace of mind knowing that their case is in capable hands and that they have a strong advocate fighting for their rights. We are committed to providing our clients with the highest level of legal support and representation, and we believe that our services are essential for those who have suffered injuries through no fault of their own.
What is a personal injury claim??
The term ‘personal injury’ is used to refer to any physical or psychological injury or illness that is caused by the negligence or carelessness of another person. If the injured party wins their personal injury claim, they will receive financial compensation.
Personal Injury claims are legal cases, whereby an instructed personal injury solicitor will seek to recover compensation for their client’s injuries, sustained in an accident that wasn’t their fault. The defendant in injury claims can be an individual or a business and the compensation is usually paid out by the liable party’s insurance company.
Most personal injury claims are dealt with on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis. This means that if you lose your case, there are usually no charges to pay. However, if your claim does win you are to pay your solicitors fees and sometimes a success fee to your solicitor. At Stonehewer Moss your liability for all your solicitor’s fees is limited to no more than 25% of your overall award and this is reduced to 18% in higher value cases.
What are the different types of personal injury that you can claim for?
Accidents and injuries come in many different forms. Most personal injuries will fall under one of the below categories:
- Accident at work claims
- Slip, Trip and Fall claims
- Road Traffic Accident claims
- Medical Negligence claims
- Faulty Product Claims
Accidents at work
Accidents at work happen all the time. There are particular industries that see higher employee injury rates than others, this usually corresponds to the working environment and the number of potential health and safety risks involved with the job.
Regardless of the type of work you do, your employer has a legal duty to keep all employees and visitors safe whilst on the premises. This includes conducting regular risk assessments, maintaining all machinery and equipment to a safe working standard and ensuring all employees are adequately trained on health & safety measures.
If your employer has neglected their duty of care and you have been injured as a result, you may be able to make an accident at work personal injury claim. We will make a claim against your employer and obtain compensation for your pain, suffering and any loss of earnings.
Slips, trips and falls
Slip, trip and fall accidents can occur anywhere, you may have heard them be referred to as ‘accidents in public’ as they are most often reported in public places like shops and sidewalks. Slips and trips are commonly caused by things likes wet surfaces or uneven paving and tend to occur when safety measures have not been put in place to warn people of the hazards. Individual injuries may result from a fall such as twisted ankles or sprained wrists, however there have been cases where more severe injuries have occurred.
If your slip, trip and fall accident occurred on property owned by the council, you can claim against local authority. Shops and businesses will be covered for any accidents and injuries on their premises through their public liability insurance.
It can be difficult to know who to make a claim against when it comes to accidents in public. A personal injury solicitor will be able to determine the business responsible and handle the rest of the claim on your behalf.
Road traffic accidents
Road traffic accidents are some of the most devastating claims that personal injury solicitors deal with. The impacts of road traffic accidents can be catastrophic both physically and mentally on their victims and sadly many people do succumb to their injuries.
It is not only motorists who can claim for road traffic accident compensation. You can start a claim if you have been injured as a pedestrian, cyclist, whilst using an e-scooter or travelling as a passenger on public transport.
Whatever the circumstances, our team of specialist personal injury solicitors will support you and ensure you are fairly compensated for your injuries.
Medical negligence
Medical negligence claims (also referred to as clinical negligence claims), are where patients take their hospital or medical practitioner (or sometimes both) to court, in order to claim compensation for negligence whilst under their medical care.
Examples of such negligence include, but are not limited to:
- Medical misdiagnosis
- Surgical errors
- Mis-prescription of medication
- Incorrect treatments that harmed the patient or made their condition worse
We understand that the experience of enduring medical negligence can be traumatic, especially when you are still recovering from your injury or illness. We will work hard to make sure the claims process is as easy and stress-free as possible, so that you can focus on getting the medical care you need.
Faulty Products
If you have been injured by a faulty product, you will likely be able to make a product liability claim. Product liability claims cover any injuries caused by a defective product, whether it is household décor (think candles), electrical goods, cosmetics, vehicles, amongst other things.
Depending on the type of faulty product being used or handled at the time of the accident, typical injuries vary greatly. If you were holding something that exploded or shattered, you may suffer from lacerations or burn injuries. For those using equipment considered to be dangerous such as lawnmowers or cars, there is the potential to sustain serious fractures or even the loss of a limb.
All manufactured products have safety requirements, upheld by strict laws to prevent risk to the public. Where these standards have not been met and you are injured, we will claim compensation against the manufacturing company for you.
How much compensation will I get for my injury?
The level of compensation awarded for personal injury claims completely depends on the severity of the injury, the effect it has had on quality of life, the accident circumstances, as well as any additional costs or losses incurred as a direct result of the accident.
Of course, the more serious the injury the more compensation you will be eligible for. For example, someone who suffered a sprained wrist that healed within six weeks would receive far less compensation than a person who lost their leg in an accident.
More specific monetary figures cannot be determined without a solicitor reviewing your case and understanding every aspect of the claim. However we do have an online compensation calculator tool, which allows you to read more about your type of injury and the potential compensation you could be awarded should you win your personal injury claim.
Many people experience a period of financial instability due to the impact of their injuries. As personal injury solicitors we are sometimes able to obtain interim payments for our clients, to help them keep afloat during this difficult time.
Is there a time limit on making a personal injury claim?
The short answer is yes, there is a time limit on making an injury claim. This time limit is referred to as the ‘limitation period’ and in most cases it is three years. Meaning you have three years from the date you sustained your injury to make a claim for compensation. If the limitation period has passed, you will not be able to make a claim.
There are a few exceptions to this rule depending on your accident circumstances, for example people who have been injured as a result of a violent crime only have two years to bring a claim. In any case it is best to seek legal advice at the earliest convenience so as to not miss the limitation date for your case.
Why choose Stonehewer Moss Solicitors?
We are a specialist personal injury law firm, accredited by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) of which our Senior Partner is a fellow.
At Stonehewer Moss we pride ourselves in delivering clear, objective legal advice and supporting the most seriously injured in getting their lives back on track. Experts in recovering the maximum level of compensation for our clients, our team of solicitors are friendly, knowledgeable and will keep you updated every step of the way.
We handle the majority of cases on a No Win No Fee basis. Watch this short video to learn more.
Talk to one of our personal injury claims specialists
Call us on freephone 0800 434 6544 or 01606 87 22 00
